This invention relates generally to telecommunication management systems and, in particular, to a programmable personal communications controller system whereby a user may effectively manage residential telecommunication functions in accordance with a personal service configuration programmed therein. The service configuration defines how the system responds to various attributes associated with either incoming or outgoing calls.
Intelligent telephone terminals have been evolving in terms of features and services supported thereby for management of telecommunications functions. Such intelligent terminals are typically characterized by a microprocessor based telephone set having a liquid crystal display (LCD), which together with the common telephone keypad and a few softkeys provide a user interface whereby the terminal may be programmed and controlled for personal operation. Furthermore, these intelligent telephone terminals are known to be equipped with one or more of the following conventional functionality: a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) generator, a DTMF decoder, a digital telephone answering device (DTAD), a time of day (TOD) clock and a calling line identification (CLID) device.
However, the technology capabilities and corresponding service and feature opportunities in existing intelligent telephones have outgrown the capacity of a user to personalize and configure the telephone. The user interface represents a bottleneck to full personalization which point is best illustrated by the following example.
Nortel's 9516 telephone set, a commercially available intelligent telephone terminal having a TOD clock, a two line LCD display and CLID capabilities provides the ability to define a feature key that displays call duration. When you press the key, the LCD display changes from displaying details about the call, either caller identification for terminating call or calling information for originating calls, to displaying call duration time. Press the key again and the display returns to call details.
Other intelligent telephone sets are known to provide a similar call timer that is continuously displayed on their LCD display. A call timer function can be assigned to one of the programmable keys provided on the set. Its function is to reset the timer to zero.
Still other vendors have telephone sets with a call duration timer on their LCD display. Programming of the telephone set simply enables or disables the call timer on a permanent basis.
These represent at least three different variations on implementation of the call timer feature. Telephone set manufacturers generally pick a specific implementation and then provide a programming function whereby a user may only enable or disable this feature.
It would not be difficult to implement the several variations within the telephone set firmware. The difficulty is in providing a configuration setup interface using the LCD display and keypad of the intelligent terminal that empowers the user to configure the call timer feature to his particular personalization.
Speed calling directories is another example which illustrates the inadequacy of the telephone display/keypad user interface. Many intelligent telephones now have an internal directory of name and telephone number lists. Typically, these telephones do not include an alphanumeric keyboard so that names are entered from the digit keypad. For instance, the "2" key is for entering the letters "ABC"; press once for "A", press twice for "B", a third press for "C".
Furthermore, any telecommunication management functions provided by the intelligent telephone terminal are limited to itself and thus it is not particularly useful in a residence having a multiple telephone extension wiring configuration connected to which it is common to find several telephone sets. Still further, there is no way to add incremental service functionality to existing telephone terminals without either replacing the terminal or at a minimum effecting some kind of hardware modification, upgrade.
It is, therefore, desirable to have an adjunct system that provides flexibility for a user to truly personalize its configuration and whereby enhanced telecommunications services and features are supported for multiple telephone terminals within the user's residence.